priming

I'm partial to the hardware store variety primers in the large jumbo-sized rattlecans.

Krylon,  Plasticote,  American Tradition, American Tradition, etc.   Not particulary the cheapest you can find, but a good value for the money.

I've also used American Tradition's Red Primer as the finish hull color.  

Has anyone else had problems with the Krylon primer coming out "fuzzy" on the surface of the models? What causes this and how can I avoid it. Some times it seems to be can specific. I have 2 cans, 1 can never does it, and the other does it about 50% of the time.

Steve

dnatech wrote:

Has anyone else had problems with the Krylon primer coming out "fuzzy" on the surface of the models? What causes this and how can I avoid it. Some times it seems to be can specific. I have 2 cans, 1 can never does it, and the other does it about 50% of the time. Steve

Krylon will craze styrene if applied in too thick of a coat.    Your variation may be due to differnces in propellant or vehicle.   Spray in multiple LIGHT coats.   Less is more.

Krylon does not craze resin

dnatech wrote:

Has anyone else had problems with the Krylon primer coming out "fuzzy" on the surface of the models? What causes this and how can I avoid it. Some times it seems to be can specific. I have 2 cans, 1 can never does it, and the other does it about 50% of the time. Steve

Might be a partially clogged nozzle.  Try swapping the nozzles between cans and see if it makes any difference.  I try to always clean my spray can nozzles with some lacquer thinner after I use them.

Mark

I can only speak for myself , however if I spend lets say $70-$90 on a model and then buy after market parts etc that may cost $50 or so, you can bet I'm not going to prime it with a rattle can from Ace Hardware or Lowes, and risk disaster, to try to save $5 or $6 bucks.

Just my two cents 

Wilbur Wright wrote:

I can only speak for myself , however if I spend lets say $70-$90 on a model and then buy after market parts etc that may cost $50 or so, you can bet I'm not going to prime it with a rattle can from Ace Hardware or Lowes, and risk disaster, to try to save $5 or $6 bucks. Just my two cents

I use my airbrush most of the time, but I do use Testor's spray gray primer on large parts (car bodies, ship hulls, etc.) that are going to get sanded down afterwards and where there is little risk of obscuring small details with the spray can.  Mostly a matter of convenience.

Mark

Wilbur Wright wrote:

I can only speak for myself , however if I spend lets say $70-$90 on a model and then buy after market parts etc that may cost $50 or so, you can bet I'm not going to prime it with a rattle can from Ace Hardware or Lowes, and risk disaster, to try to save $5 or $6 bucks. Just my two cents

It must be nice to have extra money to waste on common indistrial prooducts just because it has a model manufacturer's logo.  Krylon is on the order of 33 cents per ounce.   The can of Mr Surfacer I bought runs on the order of $2.25 an ounce.   

I use the money I save to be able to buy the resin kits, photoetch, and things which show.

Oh, and by the way,  I do not prime the photoetch.  A dunk in lacquer thinner, a soak in plain old grocery store vinegar,  air-dry, and two LIGHT applications of the final color while still on the fret solves most adherance problems.

Remember, multiple light coats are more effective than a single heavy one.   Less is more.  

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? 

Wilbur Wright wrote:

I can only speak for myself , however if I spend lets say $70-$90 on a model and then buy after market parts etc that may cost $50 or so, you can bet I'm not going to prime it with a rattle can from Ace Hardware or Lowes, and risk disaster, to try to save $5 or $6 bucks. Just my two cents

Same here. I use Tamiya Fine Primers. They do not cost that much more for the amount I use.

I know other have done some great work with other primers on their models but I was in the auto business for 30 years and I know what those primers can to to small scratchs, if they will cover them up they will cover small details of models up.

EdGrune wrote:

Wilbur Wright wrote: I can only speak for myself , however if I spend lets say $70-$90 on a model and then buy after market parts etc that may cost $50 or so, you can bet I'm not going to prime it with a rattle can from Ace Hardware or Lowes, and risk disaster, to try to save $5 or $6 bucks. Just my two cents  It must be nice to have extra money to waste on common indistrial prooducts just because it has a model manufacturer's logo.  Krylon is on the order of 33 cents per ounce.   The can of Mr Surfacer I bought runs on the order of $2.25 an ounce.    I use the money I save to be able to buy the resin kits, photoetch, and things which show. Oh, and by the way,  I do not prime the photoetch.  A dunk in lacquer thinner, a soak in plain old grocery store vinegar,  air-dry, and two LIGHT applications of the final color while still on the fret solves most adherance problems. Remember, multiple light coats are more effective than a single heavy one.   Less is more.   How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

I'll agree 100% with Ed on this - Any time I can find a substitute for something I normally use in building and purchase at a hobby shop, I'll use that.  For example, the last time I bought a bottle of IPS Weld-On #3 at the LHS, (a long time ago I will admit) it was 4 bucks for 3 oz.  I found that I could go to a local plastics distributor and buy the same basic liquid (Pleximent Chloride) by the gallon (128oz) and it costs me 25 bucks. By my figures, I've saved 145 dollars or so that I can spend on kits and after market. And since I use enamels almost exclusively, I will guarantee that I can buy laquer thinner, mineral spirits or even automotive enamel reducer (all of which will work just as well as the OEM thinner) locally by the quart or gallon far cheaper than by the ounce at the LHS.

And as far as automotive primer vs hobby primer, I go with the automotive primer.  When I first started using it, I was into figure painting and figured if it was good enough for Shep Paine, it was good enough for me.  Plus (speaking from experience) you can fill and lose detail with model primer just as easily with model primer.  As Ed noted, several misted coats are much better than one heavy coat - it's all in the technique.